VINUTHA MALLYA writes: It is remarkable to see the robust initiative shown by the Bangalore Police and the media in the investigations concerning the Ahmed family. Bravo!

Headlines scream “Pakistan link proved” and “CDs seized containing ‘jehadi’ literature”. One reads on gingerly to find the facts, only to be disappointed with claims made by unknown sources.

Joint commissioner of police Gopal Hosur yesterday denied any CDs being “seized” or any jehadi material discovered. But we get our daily dose of conspiracies nevertheless from “sources”. The ‘Pakistan link’ is unproven once the reader reads beyond the headlines.

But the PR is good for the Police. Never has it had the chance to be in the news as much as it has been over the last few days. Never mind the tiny fact that their own investigations reveal no terrorist links between the Ahmed brothers and any obvious terrorist activity by them when they lived in the city.

But then Glasgow is not so far away after all, and what goes on there is enough to send us in a tizzy, here in namma Bengalooru.

We could be on the global terror map. Oh, the rush of feeling important enough to be on the map along with the likes of London, New York and Paris, and to feel the paranoia….

The crimes of the City can wait. The ongoing investigations into the crimes of the City can take a back seat. The Ahmed story is hot, so take the hot seat, eh? The stage too is tempting, and the temptation to play into the hands of the gallery is even stronger.

Step aside presidential candidates Patil and Shekhawat.

For the people of Bangalore, your worth is very less compared to the potential loss of lives at the Glasgow airport.

It does make one wonder why the Bangalore Police is displaying such initiative, in spite of the British Police not asking for their help on Kafeel Ahmed’s links in Bangalore? Could it be that if and when the British Police, which waiting to gain some solid evidence before going hammer and thongs, does come knocking we can display our efficient policing? It is good PR for our local police in the meantime. And, the Ahmeds do not seem to have any politician or highly placed official to protect them. So, no interference for once!

Remember the drunk driver who killed all those postal employees a few months ago outside the Bangalore GPO, after a binge night? Whoever heard of him after two days? And here were some of us, waiting to know more about his family, his sisters, his brothers, what they did for a living, how many people they had pinched and made to cry, etc.

Why did the media rob us of our right to know these details about this young man? Why didn’t people write in his Orkut profile that he was a disgrace and that all Hindus should be ashamed to let such a drunken criminal breed amidst them? Clearly, the lives of the postal employees were not worth it, and their families are not high-profile.

No ‘educated doctors’ among them, you see.

But Sabeel Ahmed is not as fortunate as the drunken driver. His Orkut profile (assuming it is his, really) has been inundated with hate messages that can send anyone over the brink. Not just him, the friends in his list were getting hate messages, and within a day, many of them dropped out of the list.

Among the expletives that are too shocking to mention here, many ‘well educated’ people are telling Sabeel how his entire family should be paraded and slaughtered in public for bringing disgrace to India. His Hindu friends are questioned about their friendship with a ‘katela’ and terrorist. His Muslim friends are being asked if they are terrorists too. And the conversation is invariably turning into Hindus bashing Muslims and Islam, and Muslims bashing Hindus.

Other Kafeel Ahmeds in Bangalore are getting hate messages in their Orkut profile.

There are some who have asked Sabeel, “Why can’t you Muslims live in peace? Wherever you go, you create problems.” It is a statement straight out of a drawing room conversation where Muslim-bashing is considered to be a contribution to society.

Where is ‘wherever’?

Is the reference to West Asia, where Muslims are fighting for what was originally their land, which was given up to the Jews by the Allies after the War, without so much as asking the native people of the land if it was OK?

Is it to Jammu and Kashmir where Sheikh Abdullah and Jawaharlal Nehru equally played a messy game, before Nehru won after imprisoning Abdullah and Kashmir was literally annexed into India? It was the Hindu king of Kashmir who had decided to sign Kashmir over to India.

Is it to Central Asia and Afghanistan where instability was fostered by our old friends, the Soviets, and later by our newer friends, the Americans?

Or is the reference to Iraq and Afghanistan, where the Americans (and their allies) have made it their life’s mission to scar an entire generation and possibly many more to come, with the brutality of their actions?

Don’t think they will forget the atrocities committed in the name of peace and democracy. The loss of loved ones for no fault of theirs, repeatedly, day in and day out—and the vilifying of a religion, day in and day out—can push anyone to the brink of vengeance.

Why should a doctor not be human then? And be a ready target for the brain washers of the terrorist variety?

If our Shiv Sainiks can be so good at taking up a cause even when they are not directly affected, why should not a doctor be human?

Despite the British police not seeking help from the local police, and despite no hard evidence other than the fact that Kafeel Ahmed was in the jeep which was driven into the Glasgow Airport, the Ahmed family and the entire Muslim community of Bangalore is being made the target of what would be the equivalent of racism in our country.

Why?

# When our Hindu relatives living in the US and UK complain of racism, we are not only sympathetic, but we curse ‘em white people, and want those governments to protect the minority rights of our Hindu relatives living in the US and UK, despite those governments being more committed to protecting peoples’ rights.

# We try every method, legal or illegal, to get out of our godforsaken country and start off at the bottom of the rung in a developed country. We rest on the laurels of the economic contribution we make to those economies and gloat over it.

# We love it that Bollywood is taking over the imagination of the world, we are proud that ‘our culture’ is very popular in the West and the whities are flocking to our ayurvedic resorts and taking yoga to new commercial levels.

# We can accept non-resident Indians hanging on to their Indian (i.e. Hindu) roots well into their third or fourth generation, but will throw stones at Muslims if and when they support Pakistan in cricket, or simply keep in touch with their Pakistani family members, questioning their ‘patriotism’ all the time.

# We are happy when British Indians and the ‘Barmy Army’ come in great numbers to support India at a game against England (an act which questions their loyalty to their home country, England!), but will see no contradiction in denouncing the Muslims in India who might choose to support Pakistan at cricket and Palestine in their war against Israel.

# We are happy to support the demand to throw Hindu ashes into the Thames, much to the horror of the local British sensibilities, but get don’t think twice before sticking up our noses to practices of the Islamic faith.

We pull up our chests and say ‘our culture’ is very peaceful and tolerant. And you really want to know where it is, when you try walking on the streets of Bangalore, to see the scant respect for human life. Pedestrians are getting knocked down left, right, centre, every day, in this ‘international’ IT city, where people are in a rush in their sedans and SUVs, competing with the goods carrying mini truck drivers for space, to make their millions.

We choose to be blind to all this “I am more important than you” culture. We are happy to be rude, obnoxious and totally callous in day-to-day life. And, basking in the warmth of a ‘glorious culture’, whatever that might be, we are happy to pick on people who are facing the most nightmarish times of their lives.

Our Vedic texts of scientific and mathematical genius, do not seem to have taught us the compassion and tolerance which Ahmed family should receive in their time of distress. Why are we not waiting for the investigations to bring forth the truth before maligning them in this manner in public?

Why are we assuming the guilt, and not innocence of the Ahmed Brothers until proven guilty?

It is definitely possible that Kafeel Ahmed might be guilty of terrorist activities in the UK. It is also possible that Sabeel Ahmed was not aware of his brother’s plans. Both are as possible and as impossible. And, I wish my colleagues in the media would see that the Ahmeds are real people they are reporting about, not some characters who belong to a Bollywood film story.

Even newspersons should have a sense of responsibility to be fair, if they are going to play judge in this media trial.

In their tenure as doctors, isn’t it possible that both the Ahmed parents did not differentiate between treating a Hindu patient or a Muslim patient? Why isn’t the media pursuing the patients of these doctors for any testimonials, instead of only exploring terrorist and criminal links, which they have been unable to find thus far?

It looks like the media is deliberately vilifying the Ahmed family.

If the Ahmed parents were involved, would they be sitting ducks for the Police and media to harass them? Wouldn’t they have been like the Memon family who got away after the Bombay blasts in 1992? Is the harrowed mother not admitting the possibility that her sons might be involved?

Why are we singling out two parents to take the responsibility of their son’s act? Aren’t the sons adults and therefore responsible for their own actions? Won’t they pay the price for their crimes when they meet justice at the courts? Can’t we agonize over this crime in a humane way?

What does it do to the psyche of an Indian Muslim person who is constantly told “Go to Pakistan”? Who is called names like ‘Katela’ and ‘Turka’? What does it do to the psyche of a Muslim who sees that his sister or brother is being targeted in such ruthless manner without even the crime having been proven yet?

And if and once it is proven that Kafeel is guilty, what is Dr Zakia Ahmed’s crime? That she bore a son who went on to be part of an act of crime? If the police is able to unearth terrorist base in Bangalore with Bangloreans in the thick of it and planning attacks on targets in the city, it is our collective failure in not succeeding in building a secular nation where everyone, Hindus and Muslims, felt safe and secure, and felt an ownership towards the city.

Call me a secular fundamentalist, call me leftist, ‘pseudo secular’ (whatever that means), and slot me in the category which you fancy, since apparently one cannot be just human anymore, and has to be part of some –ism or the other.

If Kafeel Ahmed is guilty and if his parents are party to the crime, I would be happiest to see them brought to book. But until that can be established, is there any need to cross the line of human decency?

I appeal to all my countrymen living in India, of all religions, to unify against religious bigotry, and against narrow minded prejudices, among Muslims and Hindus. The world is in the throes of chaos. We have a choice. Either we make it a better place, or destroy it with hatred. And like Michael Jackson crooned, for you and for me, and the entire human race.

The choice is ours, while we are still alive.

***

For the record:

# Do I support terrorism? No.

# Do I think Kafeel Ahmed and Sabeel Ahmed are innocent? No. But until there is definite evidence and a charge is made, I will consider it a possibility.

# Does it mean that Bangalore Police should not explore the possibility of terrorist networks in the city? No.

# Does this case justify the public humiliation of the Ahmed family in this manner by the media? No.

#Am I Hindu? No. I refuse to be that Hindu who is only a Hindu if she hates Muslims. I am not that Hindu.

71 comments

A good and timely one. But will they change with love and affection. We have Muslims living in Basavangudi, but they have their own name for their place. Can a non Muslim buy a piece of land there? It is next to impossible. But the Muslims are every where in Bangalore. Many of the business houses in prime areas are owned by them. We do not have any such restrictions.
The change has to be at heart. It was said that terrorists are those with out any job. But it has been proved otherwise. Even Doctors are at it. They are trained with lot of public money, to save life not to take them. I think that it is all taught to them in their Islamic school, their temple and home. It is hate others that they learn at these places. If they continue to be like this they will be isolated, this will be worse. Most of the Muslim families live in isolation and they prefer this way of living. I had a Muslim class mate in BMC who was afraid to cut earthworm and cockroach but would cut rabbit and cadaver! As soon as he graduated he migrated to Saudi Arabia and later to England, when we were still searching for a placement. We have given them every thing but the whole world hates us now for this silly act by them. There are many girls studying in MCC who do not want to be identified as Muslim girls. They roam about in civil dress like others and even enter our kitchen with their friend but change over to their dress before they go home. When I quizzed them they are afraid of their parents, brothers and the Imam. Even when they want to change they are not allowed to do so!
When will this turn about happen? All the Muslims as one should place the country ahead of their religion for NOW. They should come out as one and stop sheltering the antisocial elements even if they are their own children and relatives. A mildest suspicion should be reported and they should not hesitate in his matter. It is not possible to carryout terrorist activity from home with out the knowledge of other residents. Let us first start at home. Let us give it a fair start. Let us hope for the best. Let the Muslim elders educate their clan in public, about the dangers of destruction.
Let us all pray to God for all this to happen and save the Children from all this.

Vinuthaji, I really enjoyed your perspective. I agree with you overall:

We certainly need to be wary of fallacious generalization. Generalizing is a conversational disease, a banality, suffered by many Indians. We are too full of unsubstantiated opinions, and often express them insensitively.

However, at times you overstate your case. For example,

1. You say of West Asia, “Muslims are fighting for what was originally their land.” Now that’s a partisan argument, even though it may be true for all I know. The Zionist Jews, and later the Jewish Israelis, argue the same about themselves, and they seem to have a Biblical argument. I wonder if you’re read even basic recounts of the Palestinian conflict’s history (for example Harms and Ferry’s book). You deal with the issue much too simplistically.

2. About Jammu & Kashmir you write, “Sheikh Abdullah and Jawaharlal Nehru equally played a messy game, before . . . Kashmir was literally annexed into India.” You need to get your facts right. Shortly after Independence, armed Kabailis (raiders) from Pakistan attacked the Dogra maharaja, Hari Singh. This fact is not disputed even by the Pakistani government. It was that Pakistani attack which forced the maharaja to shun his kingdom’s independence and accept Sardar Patel’s support so he could defeat the invading Pakistanis. In other words, Pakistan had made an effort to annex Jammu and Kashmir in 1947 by use of force. If they had not, the history of J&K might have been different. I have no doubt that Hari Singh, much like some other “mind-of-their-own” provinces including the Nizams, etc. would have continued to stay independent, and eventually, recognizing India’s economic prosperity, might have even persuaded his people to join India without seeming to have done so under pressure. In any case, the pressure in 1947 was from Pakistan’s side, not India’s.

To say India “literally annexed” J&K is a misrepresentation of the facts. Given the excellent arguments you make otherwise, this proposition surprised me. If you need a reading suggestion, well, I’m currently reading Navnita Chadha Behera’s excellent new book “Demystifying Kashmir” (Brookings Institution Press, 2007).

By the way, I like the fact that you refer to J&K by it’s full name and thus maintain its geographical integrity. Some people refer to it as just “Kashmir,” which isn’t correct in the context.

3. You write, “When our Hindu relatives living in the US and UK complain of racism, we are not only sympathetic, but we curse ‘em white people.” Now this is a silly exaggeration. Sorry but you sound almost racist yourself. Nobody in their right mind curses “white” people as such; rather, many Indians seem to almost worship white people!

4. Finally, you write, “Am I Hindu? No. I refuse to be that Hindu who is only a Hindu if she hates Muslims. I am not that Hindu.” You don’t seem to be aware of mainstream Vedantic thought, on which much Hindu tradition is based. May I recommend Swami Vivekananda? — he is a panacea for any intelligent but ignorant soul.

India exists as a secular land only because of our Vedanta. No other reason. We should never forget that. Hindus are philosophically opposed to evangelical or proselytizing conduct — we are not like “them.” That’s why I am so proud to be Hindu.

However logically you argue, however valid your points are … it hardly matters …. people are as you say grouped each other ito this ism or that… and they will not be able to break away from that. The more valid we reason, the more stub born they are….. otherwise normal people.

The less said of the media is better……. and as rightly said by Vinod Mehta journalist are becoming players in each issue rather than being spectators and reporting the same. I doubt they even do introspection after all this hate they are spreading.

Anyway, even if it makes sense to anyone what you have written, it is still worth the effort.

Vinutha, for the record, could you mention where you live? And also convey succinctly what you really want to say?

I agree with you that the investigation should proceed independently. However, the whole thing is a media circus. You can’t blame people for it. It is only because of the media that the Ahmed family is getting hounded by all and sundry. I totally agree with you that they should be given their privacy.

But I have to ask you. Why do you bring in terms like “Vedic” in a completely unrelated fashion? Do you think these people who heaped expletives on Orkut are really guided by “Vedic texts” – whatever that means? In your eagerness to support the Ahmed family, you have just shown your intolerance towards the Hindu community itself. You say both forms of intolerance is bad but you are intolerant yourself. Anyway, “Vedic texts” have very little of conventional science and mathematics in them.

The Bangalore police are just doing their duty. The media is completely focused on that and because of that you and me are too. How do you know if that drunk driver has not been brought to book? Have you cared to find out?

I’m sure you’re smart enough to figure out that whatever the media says is not all true. The media is all about glamour and ratings – remember that they are a business. The world is something else.

Your statements about Bangalore show you relating two completely different things. There was also no need to bring up Israel and Palestine here.

Vinutha, are you by chance trying to argue in Churumuri’s court? This will be very much similar to our old friend Ram Jethmalani fighting for criminals like Satwant Singh, Beant Singh and all other cases he has fought in Supreme Court!!

You are an hallucinating genius with your arguments. I do not have anything to say more on this. My words fail me!!

since you have enlisted so many arguments in support of your basic that media went berserk.
here is very basic question:
what is the connexion between bangalore, palestine, iraq & glasgow?
what is the connexion between bangalore & kashmir?

other rant …
the problem with some of your arguments is that only you believe in these noble ideas and it appears that there is reciprocal belief, especially amongst the shakers and movers. for example, the fact that pakistan was created in the first place shows that your ideals are not shared. the fact that kashmir wants to be created on similar beliefs is again a downer for your theory. street clashes in britain before the year 2000, french problems, danish troubles, darfur, nigeria, westindies…..

and i am pretty sure you will not be ever caught appealing to the houri brilliance of the quran for compassion & sympathy for India in Kashmir, women & kids in Darfur, southerners in Nigeria.
the pandits, perhaps they need to take solace in the genius of vedas.

Vinutha ..Akka drink Roohafza and put some castor oil to NETTHHI and Thikki Thikki..take Head bath and you will cool down .
you are bringing unrelated things and creating confusion .

Nobody ask a religion of a person when you hear a Mohd Rafi song , hear about our Hon.President or when you see an Amir Khan Movie ?
I dont think any one questions or religions cross our mind when we hear ‘Nithyotsava’ or read about Kareem Khan . Bismillah Khan is as much a genius as Hariprasad Chaurasia . Media is sensationalism and everyone knows that .

There was this guy from Karnataka and we used to hang around together when my family wasnt in town and played tennis and cricket together . we even used to frequent each other house . This Guy changed his apartment after his lease got expired and moved to a shared apartment with a Paki guy .
as Months rolled this guy started frequenting the mosque too often and started growing a beard . He infact changed his dressing style and started wearing long robe ( with short pyjamas) . within a year he had transformed himself from a Fun loving to a pakka religious person .
I still like him and respect his relgious privacy BUT I wouldnt be surprised
if I find his name among radicals in news paper .

Today Neelam achutha rao showed the External Hard disk and a heap of CD`s seized from the houses of the accused…where they nursery rhymes cd? or the hard disk contained Birbal stories…dear Vinutha, there is a limit to which one can write reams of words…on these buggers, no matter what, they remain tainted…
No amount of PR job for terrorist would make them angels!
and for the record
# I hate media entering personal spaces of these families, they have no right to do that!, they think barging in is their birth right!
# i also do not approve NDTV appointing a permanent camera in one of the aprtments…waiting for some family members of the accused to arrive…how can they enter a private area?

“” # We try every method, legal or illegal, to get out of our godforsaken country and start off at the bottom of the rung in a developed country. We rest on the laurels of the economic contribution we make to those economies and gloat over it.””

Yes indeed. That is much better than breeding like rats and going on welfare right?!!

Well yes we do what you say so correctly and most of us don’t go around blowing up the very infrastructure that got us there in the first place, right? Biting the hand that feeds you, you must have heard that one, right?

As TS observed, what is the purpose of your rant? When the police prove conclusively these guys from Bangalore were involved what will be your reaction? Oh BTW you seem to forget–India is a sovereign nation–been that way from August 15, 1947 and it has stayed that way–unless things have changed recently: THE INDIAN POLICE HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO TURF OUT ANY LOW LIFE AND DO ALL THE INVESTIGATION EVEN IF THEY SUSPECT A FLY MIGHT HAVE BROKEN WIND!

Thanks for clarifying that you do not support terrorism, we were all quite concerned, really!!!

Right, Bengalooru police should not be pro active. They should wait for their pals in Glasgow to seek some ‘help’. If the police do their job rigorously and actively, then they certainly have a hidden ‘agenda’, right?

And, another very good point madam. Since we haven’t heard anything about that drunk driver, we shouldn’t hear anything about Sabeer Ahmed either. True, if not, the police department will not be ‘equal’ to all human beings and that itself will manifest into another problem.

You have to break eggs to make an omelette! We are not living in a fool’s paradise of political correctness. Where is the privacy when the Nation’s security is being compromised? Would you live next door to a murderer of innocents? In India we have social justice–rather than depend on some nice legal ‘technicality’ people when roused by the illegal acts of ‘shadowy people’ will resort to all means of protest.

RVG you may not like it–but if you indulge in acts of state terrorism you will be dragged away kicking and screaming and your ‘innocent’ family will be in the line of fire. Now, that itself should act as a deterrent right? Yes I can see you nodding your head–that is India for you my friend!

“Don’t think they will forget the atrocities committed in the name of peace and democracy. The loss of loved ones for no fault of theirs, repeatedly, day in and day out—and the vilifying of a religion, day in and day out—can push anyone to the brink of vengeance”

Seems like an apologist for terrorism acts committed or about to be perpetrated by a bunch of Islamic terrorists. The doctors who planned and attempted to maim innocent people of a country which trated them decently by giving jobs and status in a country, often over the heads of locally trained medical graduates., which the latter often complain about as there are enough medical graduates graduating each year in Britain now for the state-run health service. The Itaq doctor who felt so bad as t ram a four wheeler into airport gate should have stayed in his country to fight the ‘invaders’.

It appears for an Islamic terrorist any reason is a good reason. Even if the Palestinians get their homeland ( which they refused to accept when Clinton did a deal with Ehud Barak a few years ago to handover 90% of the occupied territories. The Arabs and Plaestinians attacked Israel in 1967 and in 1974, and they cannot rant and rave, and resort to terrorism, suicide bombings having lost what they possessed in 1967 through their foolish foray), there will always be another ’cause’ for them.

While i find this article taking the ‘simplistic’ view of many of todays geopolitical conflicts, i agree wholeheartedly with the author’s closing line… “i am not that Hindu”.

I dont claim to have any deep knowledge of Hindu scripture, and though it may be true that Vedic philosophy forms its backbone, it is the last thing to make itself manifest on a day-to-day basis.

Instead, when it comes down to deep discussions of their faith, i have found that MOST Hindus define themselves in the language of orthodoxy.

Frequently, (but not always) one finds declarations of devotion, not in terms of the humanistic attitudes of the Vedas, but in terms of willingness to ‘defend’ their community/religion, “if ever there were a challenge”.

Though there is never any overt challenge…the war-like mentality persists subconsciously and what eventually shows is a fundamentalist streak…cloaked in the lambs wool of faith.

thats how i see it. And so i couldn’t agree more with the last line of the article…

Allow me to congratulate you! You are a peacenik of unparalleled wisdom or so it appears. Lets consider a few nuggets shall we? Hmmm let’s see, …”Instead, when it comes down to deep discussions of their faith, i have found that MOST Hindus define themselves in the language of orthodoxy…” any more gems? :) Pray tell us what these deep discussions were? Are you pulling the wool over a flock of sheep or not?:)

Given a choice, I would like to be a ‘safe than sorry’ Hindu:) I don’t have to define my hatred toward others but I will be happy to live and enjoy life without resorting to ‘acts committed under no religion’s name’ tactics!

Oh BTW you may want to check out a well defined mentality attributed to a flightless bird: Ostrich Mentality

The best thing about blogging is the predictability of bloggers- the raving and ranting of the Liberals like Vinu Akka and the cussedness of the Neocons like DB/ DS et al. It makes one want like Sam Goldwyn said ‘ to create new cliches. ‘ !!!

One question tho’ – why does most of Europe including The UK and Spain and even young Americans of the age group 16-25 yearssee the US as the biggest threat to world peace ? Why is India one of the few places in the world along with Poland and Japan, where there is positive regard for the US or is it the US Administration.

Despite all the terrible inequities in life, it is still worth living! Would you be a happy bystander suffering collateral damage because you wanted to be chic, fashionable and wanted to hang out with some scruffy unwashed types who find ‘irresponsible’ acts deeply making a statement about the Big bad Guy and all that…:)

I dont hold a brief for those who purvey terror. I havent even any tears for those who plan to kill innocent, ordinary people to satisfy their deluded sense of self-glorification. Silly idiots who desrved to be punished if guilty and utterly condemnable. We ought to go forth to do battle with these merchants of death and evil whatever their hue be even if we share similar ideologies sans the killing.

Sorry I dont read purveyors of paranoia too. Would much rather read Evelyn Waugh paeticularly Scoop and Put out more flags.

As far as your rant on ‘ Would you be a happy bystander suffering collateral damage because ….’ is why the US is seen as the biggest threat to world peace in Europe and not Jihadi Islam.

Hey dont you worry the whining of the Libs is as annoying/ Inane/ Amusing as the blind arrogance of the Neocons:)

For a few moments I thought you had lost it! Nice to have you back with us on the same planet. Well there have been some excesses by the folk from the Ole Colony but the regime will change soon–and there will be relief. But what about your Bradfordabad types? Their grievances go back to 2000 years!!

Nice of you to be reading Evelyn Waugh. I just finished reading Decline and Fall last week and watched Brideshead Revisited on DVD. I found Vile Bodies a little tiresome but I will keep at it.

My question to the Indian media is – “Have you heard of the phrase .. presumed innocent until proven guilty”? I despise the lowly sensationalism that the Indian media has deisplayed in this case. I honestly think that they have no respect for professional ethics or a people’s privacy. Why publish photos and details of the suspects? They are called “suspects” for a reason and not convicts. If they were to be fugitives and law enforcement authorities require the public co-operation to locate them, then it may make sense to publish the pictures … but that’s not the case. So why publish such details and pester their families (who for all you know have nothing to do with the case at hand)?
Another thing that is bothersome in this case is, the lack of any activity / concern from the Indian Consulate in UK and Australia. Couldn’t they have extended the basic courtesy of enquiring about the citizens of their country and see if they were being treated fairly by the foriegn authorities? If no charges have been filed on a person, how long does a foriegn nation have the right to detain the country’s citizen? What if it is an over-zealous task force in the foreign country just looking to find a scapegoat .. so that it can get off the hook for its inabilities? Does our country even care about its citizens and how they are treated by other nations any more? Are we still being the new kid who is tries to please the other nations so that they allow us join their exclusive club?

terrorists have no religion is a now cliched rant of our secular taliban.Some point out that it is fallacious to brand the whole community as terrorist because of the actions of the ‘lunatic fringe’, who dont represent the ‘religion of peace'(whatever it means). By the same token, LTTE(and may be some naxals as well) shud be called Hindu terrorists and IRA as christian terrorists.
But consider why they are not branded so.The branding accrues from your demeanour that folows the acts. The ismalic terrorists justify their grisly beheadings and bombings as having sanction from the koran and by quoting how it is their religious duty to rid the world of kafirs. Whereas the LTTE or the Naxals never went back to Gita to quote a justification for their actions, neither do the IRA or the ETA go back to the bible.(It may simply be because no so such sanctions exist in the geeta or the bible). So if a community is ‘targeted’, its not without reason. People who claim to be moderate and real purveyours of the religion of peace(purportedly the majority), should come out strongly against the lunatci fringe instead of hiding behind the secularists and indian leftists( and almost sounding apologists of the terrorist actions, by quoting gujrat, plaesine and heck)

The article rambles for most part, But the intentions are benign. The article espouses a certain idealism that is contrary to human nature. Humans are violent, greedy and hateful. That is their fundamental psyche. So, yes, muslims( pick your own religion) will face discrimination for the acts of a few.

The bigger question here is, what is it about Islam that drives it’s adherents to such madness? Granted that the terror might be perpetrated by a few muslims. But, a few Indian muslims, a few Iraqi muslims, a few Thai muslims, a few Pakistani muslims, a few Moroccan muslims, a few Algerians, few Saudis….. adds up to a lot of muslims.

The article is critical of Israel, forgeting that invasion and occupation is a phenomenon that has been happening all through history. Would it be fair for modern day buddhists to ask for the return of lands in Afghanistan ? A lot of the religions spread through conquest and war, why should it be any different today? In fact if the Israelis are as bad as they are portrayed, they should have put to sword every man , woman and child that was it’s enemy ( like the ethnic cleansing of Kashmiri Pandits ).

Vinutha.
Stop seeking cheap publicity and thrid class sensationalism..
I just hope some of ur family members suffer in Chruch gate or Dehli vasant vihar incidents.I want to see ur response , then..
God forbid, I hope u understand the magnitude of the problem , much earlier..

Vinutha: Well done for saying in your own presumably real name what the great anonymous boors who populate these pages don’t have the balls to say. Well done also for taking the time and the trouble of writing a long even if slightly meandering polemic that bores the trigger-happy anonymous from taking the trouble of reading through it. And I say shame on the testerone-rich Thotti Buddis who think it beneath them to even spell your name properly and resort to stereotyping and bracketing all those who do not share their frog-in-the-well fantasies. Their attitude proves what you are trying to prove. QED.

a) 2186 words. You are not a journalist, are’nt you? Because if you were one you would be aware of a saintly thing in journalism called “word count.” It’s bad for the writer’s ego but great for the reader. Please try a key combination in the future – atl+t+w.

b) I am not a journalist but i have friends who are. Its easy to say that the media sensationalises. Yes, it does happen. But try being a hack for a day. Try standing in the heat, for a whole day, outside a police HQ waiting for a corrupt cop to walk out and say succintly “no comments.” Or try thinking with this logic “there is a global conflict going on. whether you like it or not, its between the only superpower in the world and its allies Vs nations/ people belonging to / practicing a religion.

a few years ago the latter blew up two little towers even as thousands of these people die in Chechnya, Palestine etc. So far, India is stayed out of this large canvas. and then an Indian blows himself up in an airport” Is this news or not? To boot, the chap is a doctor, not some slum dweller in Bangalore. That boils down to one thing. To use the kind of language you use, its the “alienation of the eduated Indian muslim.” Now as a reader, i would like to know who these people are, their story, why they took the wrong path. That’s the story the media is telling me. and i am curious to hear it. So stop harping about what the media is doing wrong.

3) Finally, one last poirot-ian observation, looking at your language and the rabidity of its content, you are one of the following: 1) A person who used to work in the media and then ran away perhaps because of its bad pay/ tough life 2) You probably work for an NGO of some sort, even better a watchdog, that writes on things like poverty, gender, media malparctices, and similar boring things that the west gets a hard-on hearing about 3) You are a card carrying, my bleeding heart, communist (chances of this are slim)

The word count so far – 372 words, ooops. and like Mike Jackson, screeched not crooned, I’ll just “beat it.”

What delusional fantasy are you playing at with an assumed name of a Japanese camera company!! This is rich coming from you on being pervertly anonymous but makes sense only to you…

Utterly charmed by your analysis…For the boorish likes of us, please tell us…are you a man, a woman or Michael Jackson! That way we can address the deficiencies and excellence in your sartorial preferences…thank you.

I don’t have to prove anything to you, Thotti. If all you can see through the pinhole is a camera, it only reveals the a-**** on the other side. For starters, see if you can get through a single sentence without sounding so smug and sexist. Till then, may I request to keep your trap shut if you have nothing to contribute other than your super-smart tendentious crap.

Looks like the author got some facts regarding J & K mixed up. At the time of independence, Sheikh Abdullah was very much pro-India (and rabidly anti-Paki). On the contrary, it was the “Hindu” king who was vascilating. A few years after “annexing” J & K, the “lion of Kashmir” who was in power in J & K, fell out of favour with chacha Nehru (may be due to some family quarrel) and the Sheikh was internally exiled to Kodaikanal. After a decade or two, peace was made during Indira Nehru Gandhi’s time and the liberated lion came back to J & K.

# Where has our compassion and tolerance gone? – We should remember that there are two-hands involved in all these (giving & taking). So, if someone is not willing to accept compassion, love, tollerance etc., nothing much can be done by person willing to give.
# Generalization – good/bad, but invitable like in so many aspects (food, clothing, hard-work, intelligence etc.) of life. But, for sure, unless there is some-level of exhibit of particular behavior/character, this wont happen. To that extent, there has been ample evidence to generalize the issue
#Going back to history – Vinutha digs into bit of history. Correctness/incorrectness of those stuff apart, why should we go back to only 50 years of history and not 500 years of history? So, today’s bad action (by anyone) should not be substantiated by past

Haven’t we seen this soapbox tirade earlier? Many times over? Most every time after a successful or foiled terrorist attack?

There is a pattern to this: Everytime after yet another terrorist attack in which yet some more innocents are killed, we see the highest decibel noise being made on

— NOT the killings that have just happened
— NOT the pain and suffering of the families of victims
— NOT the sickening regularity with which these attacks keep happening
— NOT the fear and concern of those lucky enough to survive or esacpe

but on how the terrorists’ co-religionists are allegedly being victimized! On how the poor Muslim can’t but be a poor, wretched vicitm, and how the prejudiced non-Muslim can’t but be the nasty aggressor!!

Everytime.

“You can fool some of the people all of the time” etc.

Actually, rationalizations like this that are doing their bit to justifying terrorism in the eyes of terrorists and their potential recruits. They make a prophecy self-fulfiining for terrorists. “You kaffirs hate us anyway, so we’ll kill you”.

yes, it is time we saw the charade for what it is.
err…small points:
– NO ONE died in this case, by allah’s grace.
– there were NO pains and suffering apart from the anguish that insecure indians felt about their position in the global stage.
– terrorism of this kind is NOT the only form of violence happening with sickening regularity. so how does one explain this outrage only in this case and not for anything else?
– terrorists’ co-religionists are PEOPLE. human beings, like you and me. one brain, two eyes, one nose, mouth, emotions. if they are responsible for the acts of terrorists, would you be willing to take up responsibility for hindu terrorism in gujarat at the time of the riots? what is good for the goose, should be good for the gander too. looking at your words above, you would perhaps say, yes, they deserve to die. then what separates you from terrorists? just that you haven’t yet acted on your thought.

please enlighten us saar. we are such fools to bring logical arguments into the discussion.

sabeel is the younger brother, held without charge. it has been days. haneef is the cousin, again held without charge, it has been days again. it is not the first time in the history of the police in uk that someone has been held for questioning. there was once they killed an innocent man in the tube station, thinking he was a criminal. there are many times that people are found innocent and set free. but we, in Bangalore, are ranting even before a charge is been brought on them.

consider, for once, if sabeel and haneef are not involved in the plot, what does their future look like since their names have been maligned so much?

And how about those instances in which people did die? Shall we just push it under the carpet and go on whining about the “vicitimization” of terrorists’ coreligionists?

>>terrorism of this kind is NOT the only form of violence happening with sickening regularity.

Buttressing the point with concrete examples, in stead of rhetoric, would be good.

Please be my guest and list other instances of violence that happen with sickening regularity in which innocents are killed, AND, everytime after such an instance, the decibel noise level is highest about how the killers’ kith and kin are being victimized.

>> terrorists’ co-religionists are PEOPLE.

But not the ones killed by terrorists. All my sympathies to Muslim communities for having to bear the ignominy of being the origins of most of the world’s terrorists. But that is not comparable to the plight of those who die, or lose or limb, or lose their loved ones, in terrorist attacks.

Moreover, you seem to be assuming that terrorists’ coreligionists identify themselves with terrorists. Why do you have such low opinion of Muslims? Why can you not believe that Muslims despise terrorists as much as non-Muslims do?

>>if they are responsible for the acts of terrorists, would you be willing to take up responsibility for hindu terrorism in gujarat at the time of the riots?

Let me get you off your high horse with some plain speaking.

The debate ought to be not about whether it is acceptable to hold all Muslims as responisble for the actions of terrorists. That is a red-herring introduced by the author. The real debate is about the moral priorities of noise-makers. Note the headline of this post. It screams about “compassion”. Well, get to show compassion for the very REAL victims of terrorists first, before you get on the soapbox to demand it of others for those you CLAIM are being vicitmized.

>but on how the terrorists’ co-religionists are allegedly being victimized! On how the poor Muslim can’t but be a poor, wretched vicitm, and how the prejudiced non-Muslim can’t but be the nasty aggressor!!

>Moreover, you seem to be assuming that terrorists’ coreligionists identify themselves with terrorists. Why do you have such low opinion of Muslims? Why can you not believe that Muslims despise terrorists as much as non-Muslims do?

you lost me there. i understood from your first point that one should not show compassion to the ‘coreligionists’. and now you are asking me why i have a low opinion of muslims? i do believe there are muslims who despise terrorism.

the author of the post makes no claim, to my understanding, that compassion should not be towards the victims of past acts of terrorim. that, one presumes, is the given. only an inhuman person would say dont show compassion to victims of any act of violence.

if there were victims in this incident, the compassion for them would obviously be pouring out, across the world. the point of this post is to look from the other side. whether there are victims or not, does it make sense to heap abuses upon the innocent?

>Buttressing the point with concrete examples, in stead of rhetoric, would be good.

let us start with communal violence, crime against women, negligent driving on the streets, child abuse…i can go on. all are acts of violence in and aggression in one way or another. some are deliberate and some are because of lack of respect for human life. let us take the case cited in the post made by ms. mallya. did anyone right reams on the blogosphere about him and his irresponsible act?

>>the author of the post makes no claim, to my understanding, that compassion should not be towards the victims of past acts of terrorim. that, one presumes, is the given.

Extremely good.

It is also a given that not all Muslims are responsible for terrorists’ acts. There is no need to belabour that point either, unless one’s intent is to tar all Hindus with the same “anti-Muslim” brush.

mr. mohan, you confuse me more and more with the position you are taking, but i assume we are roughly on the same side of the fence, even if a few miles apart. one’s intent is not to tar all hindus at all.

There exist some people who, based on the acts of terrorists, view all Muslims as prone to terrorism. Likewise, there also exist some people who, based on what allegedly is posted on Orkut allegedy by Hindus, tar all Hindus as “prejudiced” and “anti-Muslim”.

Since we are talking about compassion and tolerance, I’m making it clear where compassion and tolerance are better directed at. Not the “victims” of the afore-mentioned people, but the real victims of those who started it all: terrorists.

vinutha, i dont know what to make of your rant…. i probably agree with some of what you say and disagree with some others….

but my point is simply this – i wouldnt go trekking with grenades and guns half way across the world even if it was hindus being blown up in palestine… even if it was hindus who’d been evicted out of their ‘homelands’.. and i think neither would any of the approximately billion hindus. buddhists, from across the world didnt land in afghanistan with grenades when the taliban pulverised the last remaining traces of that religion in afghanistan. such clannish mentality is the sole preserve of muslims and kongas. islam is no more vilified in the west than other religions are in islamic countries. “kafirs”, we are, afterall.

i have come across good muslim friends myself. but the good sense, intelligence, charm and good manners they display individually simply seems to vanish into thin air when a bunch of them get together.

This is nothing about Vinutha’s mail but one observation about tactics by the west and by the so called terrorists.

Just because the governments of Western countires support it fails to be called as an ‘Act of terrorism’ but if the same is done by others (groups), either to safe gaurd or to retialiate it becomes terrorism . I fail to understand this.
Probably even the other countries should legalise and call it war against terrorism.

I would like to ask the author what sympathises does she have for the victims and families of the victims who suffered for no fault of theirs. I wish people who have so much sympathy for the families of the terrorists also considered the plight of the victims and their families. Do the parents of these terrorists deserve to suffer? I think so …. wouldn’t parents enjoy the spoils of their successful children? Wouldn’t they proudly proclaim the values that they taught their children that helped them achieve their success. Similarly why shouldn’t they be hounded and blamed if their children turned out to be terrorists killing innocent people for some stupid reasons. Have you heard “you reap what you sow”.

Following up on the point I made in my earlier comment.
Here is an article in today’s Deccan Herald that is along similar lines. An International agency is trying to fill the void that our Government has left.
“Amnesty is concerned over prolonged detention of Haneef – “The whole case against Haneef undermines the presumption of innocence,” Australia-based Amnesty Spokeswoman Nicole Bieske said.” Read more here –http://www.deccanherald.com/Content/Jul122007/foreign2007071212437.asp?section=updatenews=updatenews

Amnesty frequently suffers from amnesia and it is an organization dedicated to protect and prolong the rights of terrorists. As the spokesowoman says, there is no presumption of innocence any more–therefore from now on it is the reality:)

Too many freeloaders got off and got on the Amnesty Express in the 70s till 90s. Once the darling of high tea liberals, Amnesty today is a fallen giant. V Malliah and others continue to see the terrorists through the prism of Amnesty (sorry I had to borrow this one from SoulTruth).

DB,
I see your point. In the recent past, Australian policies seem to be laced with racism. If our country does not stand up for its citizens, I won’t be surprised if more Indians entering that country are harassed and detained without charges. As it is being brown skinned, we often get pulled over and checked far too many times than an average international traveller. The new laws passed in Australia give unlimited power to their security forces and that is a cause for concern.

They can’t help it. Till the early 60s OZs had ‘blancos’ only policy! But we can all do our bit by being clean shaven and more friendly looking. In some of my earlier posts I had said our women should dispense with Salwar Kameez which is a slovenly dress with ‘minority’ overtones. (I know I will get a lot of flak on this one). Rather, our women should wear sarees or jeans or skirts or even shorts if they can. Bottom line: don’t look like a minority–just blend in. Drink beer, eat meat and all that stuff. I would even go so far to say, watch porno–be more manly and not some nerdy types:)

I spotted your blog to-day only. I appreciate your views on the issue of London and Glasgow attacks. But, remember, had the plan succeeded in the London attack, can you imagine the loss of life and property? I expect that you will become moderate in your thoughts. Coming to blaming the parents, they must be blamed for not properly counciling their kids.

What Hwneef has done is to bring in ‘profiling’ that police use when they stop and search. This means Indian-looking guys will be searched in every airport in the world and stopped in every street in Western cities if that what police think will make their country safe. Do not blame these law enforcers, balme your ‘friendly’ Ahmeds and Hannefs. Ask muslims why they do not put nation first and religion second. Ask them why they should be exercised so much if a suicide bomer blows himself up in Afgahistan, and harm the country which has given them livelihood. Ask them to go Aghanistan and fight there if they care so much and do not pick soft targets in democratic countries.